By DAPO FALADE
Wife of the Oyo State governor, Engineer Tamunominini Makinde and the chairperson of the University of Ibadan Women Society (UIWS), who is also the wife of the Vice-Chancellor, Dr (Mrs) Wumi Olayinka, have declared their readiness to collectively empower women and fight gender-based violence to a standstill.
Mrs Makinde, who played host to the chairperson of the UIWS in her office located near the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan, said there is every need to promote women empowerment and emancipation as an avenue for engendering peaceful coexistence in the society.
The governor’s wife, in a statement by the Office of the Wife of the Governor, said her office has been working assiduously to end rape and gender-based violence in the state.
The statement also indicated that the Office has been adopting proactive measures while putting in place the right structures to prevent the occurrence of negative/anti-women vices.
The statement indicated that some of the core values of the UIWS, a non-governmental organisation, include empowerment of women and exploration of the value change in agro-impact products through training in areas such as planting, preservation, processing, marketing and fund-sourcing.
Mrs Makinde also commended the association for the work it has been doing in the area of women empowerment and the campaign against gender-based violence, adding that the present administration would be willing to work with the association, especially in the area of empowering rural women.
She equally granted an express approval to the request by the UIWS to name after her a female hostel built by the society within the campus of the University of Ibadan.
She said: “Two things that you mentioned that I really like; empowering women and securing something that in the future will also be an avenue for empowering more women.
“I believe you must have thought about this because of your exposure and knowledge. I want to say thank you for that approach and that step.
“Looking at the University of Ibadan Women Society and all the structures they have put in place to make sure that no matter how small it is, they are able to give empowerment to women, this is highly commendable.
“Agriculture is one of the smallest things we can do in Oyo State to empower women. To be honest with you, it doesn’t require big equipment, we have some of the things on the ground.
“My question for you is that: one, how can we extend that to some women who have not benefited from this programme to the extent that folks in the local governments and LCDAs at the grassroots can benefit. How can we partner to benefit the ordinary woman in Oyo State?”
The chairperson of the UIWS, Dr (Mrs) Olayinka, had told the First Lady that the group was seeking ways of partnering with the Office of the Wife of the Oyo State Governor on agro-impact projects and empowerment initiatives to enhance the social status of women and youths in the state.
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